Many indoor spaces have some elements of environmental or climate control. This is especially true for certain types of indoor spaces, including homes, offices, and healthcare facilities. Typically lighting, either artificial, natural, or both, are used, along with air temperature control are used. These elements are typically independent of each other, meaning they are operated and controlled separately. Even among elements that control a similar environmental condition, such as blinds over a window of a room and light bulbs in the room; both can control light in the room to different effect, and operating one does not change the other. Likewise, controlling the room light is performed independently of controlling temperature in the room, and typically the control of natural light, via blinds or curtains, is controlled separately from the artificial light in the room. In a similar matter air quality is also typically independently controlled. Even when they are remotely controlled, they are controlled separately.
In many settings, it is desirable to temporarily adjust the environmental conditions. For example, in a healthcare environment, such as a hospital room, a patient may have the lighting adjusted to a preferred level. However, when a care provider (e.g. doctor, nurse) needs to examine the patient, or apply a treatment, the care provider may desire to adjust the lighting level to a brighter condition. Adjusting the lighting level typically requires a manual operation (e.g. changing a switch, or adjusting a dimmer), as does changing the level back when the care provider is done. Likewise, opening and closing window blinds are also typically manual operations. There are other conditions such as safety and specialized condition based on location which tie into the location of the patient within the building as well as specialized equipment requiring one's ability to locate the equipment and/or patient.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for controlling the environmental conditions in an indoor space under a centralized control, and such that it can be momentarily adjusted and revert back to the preferred settings based on a location of a patient, equipment, or both.
Those skilled in the field of the present disclosure will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. The details of well-known elements, structure, or processes that would be necessary to practice the embodiments, and that would be well known to those of skill in the art, are not necessarily shown and should be assumed to be present unless otherwise indicated.